Oxide layers may be utilized in semiconductor devices, photovoltaic cells, light emitting diodes (LEDs) or the like as an insulating layer, such as a dielectric layer. Accordingly, oxide layers are required to have, for example, suitable dielectric properties and layer quality to prevent leakage between conducting layers, such as between the channel and gate of a transistor device. Typically, oxide layers thermally grown at high temperatures (e.g., >700 degrees Celsius) exhibit suitable dielectric properties and layer quality. Unfortunately, reduced thermal budgets and more stringent critical dimension requirements make high temperature thermal growth processes unsuitable for advanced device nodes (in a non-limiting example, at 45 nanometer technology nodes and less—having a width of about 320 Angstroms or less—according to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS).
Accordingly, to meet advanced device requirements, oxide layers may be thermally grown at lower temperatures (e.g., <700 degrees Celsius), or deposited at low pressures (which may vary depending upon the process used). Unfortunately, the quality of oxide layers formed under such processing conditions is poor and typically results defects in the oxide layer.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improved methods for forming oxide layers.